Your Letters, April 1st 2003

AS the war in the Gulf goes on, coalition forces are to plough on with their goal - to remove from power the tyrant who regularly brutalises and murders his political opponents and campaigners for democracy.

AS the war in the Gulf goes on, coalition forces are to plough on with their goal - to remove from power the tyrant who regularly brutalises and murders his political opponents and campaigners for democracy.

This monster also brutalises his people and systematically rapes the wealth from 'his' country, leaving people to starve and cower in terror as the economy of a once great nation falls to its knees.

But I can say that the coalition are not even close to liberating this once rich country from the grasping hands of the dictator in power. Why? Because they are looking at the wrong country.

While the world's attention is focused on the Gulf, in Zimbabwe 'President' Robert Mugabe has taken this new opportunity to unleash another appalling wave of terror on his political opponents.

Mugabe has, apparently, dispensed with the rule of law altogether and is allowing - and, some argue, ordering - his followers to systematically crush the citizens of Zimbabwe.

Why is this tyrant allowed to commit mass murder with impunity? And why is South Africa, which once suffered under a similar regime during apartheid, consistently making apologies for Mugabe?

Julia Danes,Waterloo

Not laughing >

FUNNY isn't it, how Tony Blair is encouraging the citizens of Iraq to rise up against their leader in a show of people power?

The same Tony Blair, only a month ago, completely ignored the views of the overwhelming majority of his own citizens who did not want this war to proceed without a further UN resolution.

Funny isn't it, how, despite 12 days of war, the coalition forces have neither found nor been attacked by any weapons of mass destruction, the alleged presence of which was the whole reason for this war?

Funny isn't it, how every report from a journalist based in Baghdad is preceeded with a warning that the report has been filed under strict monitoring by the Iraqi regime, yet we never hear such a warning before reports from the journalists 'embedded' with the coalition forces?

Funny isn't it, how the politicians who took us into this war have disappeared from our television screens? Don't worry though, they will be back when 'victory' is declared.

It's a funny old war, isn't it?

Bruce Risley,Liverpool 18

Torment by yobs >

I AGREE with H Duffy that youths playing football ouside his house is not a trivial matter. I, too, suffer from the problem - gangs of up 15 youths outside my house playing football and causing trouble.

In the last few years, my wife and I have been subjected to verbal and physical abuse. My wife has been stabbed in the armand I have been assaulted twice with a golf club and threatened with a knife for standing up to these yobs.

I have had to replace numerous fence panels at a cost in excess of #300 to the point that I have had to pay for concrete ones.

The police response, if they even bother to turn up, can be measured in several hours and I feel the matter is treated as "trivial".

At times, it is like living under siege and we have decided to look to buy another house away from the Westvale area as the yobs control the streets.

R Hall,Liverpool 32

Shelters wrecked>

AS drive daily through the Nether-ton area, it is interesting to see the state of the bus shelters along the Northern Perimeter Road up to Copy Lane.

The life of the half dozen bus shelters along this stretch must be no more than a month.

It is a never-ending cycle; the shelters are smashed to bits, presumably by local yobs, then within days are repaired again.

Surely the time must come for someone to decide enough is enough.

If the parents of these vandals cannot control them, I don't know why the rest of us should have to pay the price.

These people do not deserve decent bus shelters.

Angry ratepayer,Name and address supplied

Unequal rewards >

IT IS reported in the ECHO and elsewhere that Merseyside fire authority is to give massive increases in members' allowances.

The basic allowance for council-lors will increase by 200% (#2,174 to #6,500). The chairman, Cllr Peter will get a 50% increase (#13,500 to #19,000) and the llr Tony Newman is due more than a 52% increase (#10,678 to #16,250).

Surely this grotesque giveaway of council taxpayers' hard-earned money cannot be justified and is in stark contrast to the meagre pay award offered to firefighters of 16% over three years.

Professor Joseph Fenerty,Ainsdale

Evil onslaught >

IT IS crazy to say we are freeing Iraqi people from Saddam's cruelty when we have killed many Iraqis ourselves.

This action will not be taken lying down by Iraqis and their counterparts.

The USA and UK should have got the innocent people out of their homes and somewhere safe before bombing.

It is complete chaos and turmoil and an utter disgrace to democracy. This is evil. To try and get world peace, killing is not the answer.

Lilian Brown,Address supplied

Demo not stupid >

AS I was going home on the 19E bus from town on Thursday, March 20 about 7.05pm after being on the anti-war demonstration, I was heckled by Liverpool fans.

They got on the bus and started swearing at the so-called "stupid students causing chaos."

I turned to them and said I was a grandmother of four and was not stupid; I just didn't want human beings being killed in my name and I was frightened for my grandchildren's futures.

They said I should be a suicide bomber in Iraq.

I despair of human nature when men make these comments. We are not lefties or loonies, we care about human life no matter what race or creed.

Patricia O'Brien,Liverpool 5

Eating disorders>

THE Eating Disorders Association is the only UK-wide charity that provides information, support and guidance for people affected by anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and related eating disorders.

We operate helplines, support self-help groups, run training courses and publish information and research.

EDA is recruiting volunteers to help with fund-raising and to set up and run self-help groups. Wecan offer training and support as well as out-of-pocket expenses.